1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to ring display cases and in particular to a mechanism for locking rings in a display case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A common type of display case has several rows of slots in a soft material in which rings are placed. A disadvantage of this type of display is that much of the ring remains hidden, leaving only the upper part for viewing. Also unless a glass covers the top of the case, rings might easily be stolen. If there is a glass cover, a prospective purchaser is unable to touch the ring or inspect closely unless a sales attendant is present.
There are prior art locking devices for ring displays, one of which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,774 issued Sept. 7, 1965. That device utilizes a sliding plate below an upper plate which contains slots. The lower plate has matching slots, but a tab is formed in each slot so that when the plate is moved forward, the ring is retained. While this device is successful, improvements are desirable.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved ring display with a locking mechanism which allows rings to be handled but not withdrawn and is easily unlocked in the rear by a sales attendant. Another object is to provide a display case with a locking mechanism which utilizes rotatable rods and hooks aligned below each slot to minimize sliding contact and simplify construction. Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description.